James Saunders
Guest Reporter
Rachel Reeves has issued a fresh warning about the state of the NHS in a new swipe at the previous Government - fewer than two days out from Wednesday's Budget.
The Budget's looming tax hikes and borrowing increases - despite prompting anxiety across the country - still may not be enough to undo "14 years of damage" to the health service, Reeves warned.
The Chancellor is expected to pump billions of pounds into the NHS, including £1.5billion for new surgical hubs and scanners - and £70million for radiotherapy machines alone.
Though Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said "it will take time to turn the situation around", the funding splurge will likely go some way to help meet Labour's pledge to deliver two million extra NHS appointments a year.
Since July, an additional £1.8billion has been ring-fenced for elective appointments - while the Treasury has indicated "billions of pounds" would be invested in technology to help boost productivity across the service.
But when asked if the Budget would "fix the NHS", the Chancellor said: "I don't think in one Budget you can undo 14 years of damage, but in this Budget we're going to provide the resource necessary to deliver on our manifesto commitment."
Reeves said her plan would help deliver "40,000 additional appointments every single week, to reduce the huge backlog and as well as the increase in the capital budget to take it to its highest level since 2010 to invest in the new scanners and the radiography equipment."
Speaking from St George's Hospital in south London, she said staff were still using equipment bought under the last Labour Government which should have been replaced by now.
LATEST ON LABOUR'S LOOMING TAX HIKES:
"It hampers their productivity and efficiency... So as well as the money, we need to see reform in the health service, but also modern equipment to get the most out of the qualified staff who are using tools that are not appropriate in 2024."
In another Tory dig, Reeves vowed: "We will be known as the Government that took the NHS from its worst crisis in its history, got it back on its feet again, and made it fit for the bright future ahead of it."
As she unveils the Budget on Wednesday, Reeves will acknowledge the need for "difficult decisions on spending, on welfare and taxation" and change the way national debt is measured to give her more flexibility to borrow.
She said: "By making those decisions and putting our public finances and our public services on a firmer footing we can wipe the slate clean after 14 years of chaos and instability under the last Government."
But Streeting - on a joint visit to the hospital with the Chancellor - said the extra cash might not prevent avoidable deaths and another winter crisis over the coming months.
"I can't promise that there won't be people waiting on trolleys and corridors this winter. There are people in that position already today.
"We will start planning for next winter - this winter - to make sure we see continued, steady improvement in our NHS.
"And what this Budget will enable us to do is arrest the decline in the NHS and start fixing the foundation so we can not only get the NHS back on its feet, but make sure it's fit for the future as part of our long-term plan."
"I can't pretend that we're going to be able to wave a Labour magic wand and make all of those problems go away this winter.
"There will still be real problems this winter, but we're not going to deny the scale of the problems, and we are already supporting system leaders, particularly in places that tend to have the most challenge at winter, to try and minimise the risk this winter."
Asked if the Budget would reduce the level of avoidable deaths in the NHS, Streeting replied: "I think 14 years of Conservative failure have kind of led us to the worst crisis in the NHS history, and have broken that fundamental promise that the NHS will be there for people when they need it.
“It will take time to turn the situation around, but for this winter, in fact, throughout the year, my number one priority will always be patient safety and taking the steps needed to keep people as safe as possible."
Despite his assurances and the Chancellor's pledges, doctors have warned that the NHS faces "irreparable damage" over Reeves's planned tax hikes on pensions.
The British Medical Association has said that further detrimental changes to pension taxes would be "devastating" after years of doctors being forced to reduce workloads or leave the NHS due to pension policies.
Find Out More...
The Budget's looming tax hikes and borrowing increases - despite prompting anxiety across the country - still may not be enough to undo "14 years of damage" to the health service, Reeves warned.
The Chancellor is expected to pump billions of pounds into the NHS, including £1.5billion for new surgical hubs and scanners - and £70million for radiotherapy machines alone.
Though Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said "it will take time to turn the situation around", the funding splurge will likely go some way to help meet Labour's pledge to deliver two million extra NHS appointments a year.
Since July, an additional £1.8billion has been ring-fenced for elective appointments - while the Treasury has indicated "billions of pounds" would be invested in technology to help boost productivity across the service.
But when asked if the Budget would "fix the NHS", the Chancellor said: "I don't think in one Budget you can undo 14 years of damage, but in this Budget we're going to provide the resource necessary to deliver on our manifesto commitment."
Reeves said her plan would help deliver "40,000 additional appointments every single week, to reduce the huge backlog and as well as the increase in the capital budget to take it to its highest level since 2010 to invest in the new scanners and the radiography equipment."
Speaking from St George's Hospital in south London, she said staff were still using equipment bought under the last Labour Government which should have been replaced by now.
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"It hampers their productivity and efficiency... So as well as the money, we need to see reform in the health service, but also modern equipment to get the most out of the qualified staff who are using tools that are not appropriate in 2024."
In another Tory dig, Reeves vowed: "We will be known as the Government that took the NHS from its worst crisis in its history, got it back on its feet again, and made it fit for the bright future ahead of it."
As she unveils the Budget on Wednesday, Reeves will acknowledge the need for "difficult decisions on spending, on welfare and taxation" and change the way national debt is measured to give her more flexibility to borrow.
She said: "By making those decisions and putting our public finances and our public services on a firmer footing we can wipe the slate clean after 14 years of chaos and instability under the last Government."
But Streeting - on a joint visit to the hospital with the Chancellor - said the extra cash might not prevent avoidable deaths and another winter crisis over the coming months.
"I can't promise that there won't be people waiting on trolleys and corridors this winter. There are people in that position already today.
"We will start planning for next winter - this winter - to make sure we see continued, steady improvement in our NHS.
"And what this Budget will enable us to do is arrest the decline in the NHS and start fixing the foundation so we can not only get the NHS back on its feet, but make sure it's fit for the future as part of our long-term plan."
"I can't pretend that we're going to be able to wave a Labour magic wand and make all of those problems go away this winter.
"There will still be real problems this winter, but we're not going to deny the scale of the problems, and we are already supporting system leaders, particularly in places that tend to have the most challenge at winter, to try and minimise the risk this winter."
Asked if the Budget would reduce the level of avoidable deaths in the NHS, Streeting replied: "I think 14 years of Conservative failure have kind of led us to the worst crisis in the NHS history, and have broken that fundamental promise that the NHS will be there for people when they need it.
“It will take time to turn the situation around, but for this winter, in fact, throughout the year, my number one priority will always be patient safety and taking the steps needed to keep people as safe as possible."
Despite his assurances and the Chancellor's pledges, doctors have warned that the NHS faces "irreparable damage" over Reeves's planned tax hikes on pensions.
The British Medical Association has said that further detrimental changes to pension taxes would be "devastating" after years of doctors being forced to reduce workloads or leave the NHS due to pension policies.
Find Out More...